[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/XV1PIyT.jpg?2[/img][/center]

In the blink of an eye, the Flash is gone, leaving me alone in the museum, the water that was pumping out of the broken fire sprinkler already slowing to a trickle. It's a miracle that Flash was here today, to tell the truth. Without her, I never would have been able to clear the room of the Khandaqi art, and probably would have destroyed it with the water plan. That's all I need. To have the gangs of New York after me as well as creating an international incident by destroying priceless national heirlooms. I'm sure that would go over real well.

A paper floats through the air and I snatch it, revealing the Flash has left me her number. I guess she really was serious about that teaming up thing. Good to know. And did she mention she knew Superman? Oh man I need to get Superman's number. If I move for college he'd come in really helpful.

I swing out of the building as the police head in, finding the incapacitated Maggia troopers webbed to the floor.

[color=ec008c][b]"Peter,"[/b][/color] I call my boyfriend. [color=ec008c][b]"We need to talk about what just happened."[/b][/color]

[color=0054a6]"You okay?"[/color] he asks.

[color=ec008c][b]"Fine,"[/b][/color] I respond. [color=ec008c][b]"But we have a new superhuman on the block. Flint Marko. He can...turn himself into sand? It's weird."[/b][/color]

[color=0054a6]"Marko? Like the mob guy?"[/color] he's clearly shocked. [color=0054a6]"How in the blue hell did that happen?"[/color]

[color=ec008c][b]"I don't know, but we're going to have to figure out how to take care of him. Because next time I'm not gonna have the Flash backing me up."[/b][/color]

[color=0054a6]"Yea, I can get to work on-WAIT!"[/color] he stops mid-sentence, realizing what I just said. [color=0054a6]"The Flash? As in, the superhero? She was there? What was she like? How does she not burn up at the speeds she goes? How did she design the suit to stand up to the speed as well? There are so many questions I want to ask her."[/color]

I should have seen this coming. Of course he would haev way too many questions for the lady that can go insanely fast. Hell, I have questions too. She should teoretically burn up at the speed she moves. But then again I shouldn't be able to climb up walls whenever I want to, yet here we are.

[color=ec008c][b]"Peter, I appreciate your passion, but we need to focus,"[/b][/color] I remind him.

[color=0054a6]"Right, scary sand man,"[/color] he corrects himself. [color=0054a6]"You wanna come over for dinner? Aunt May is at her weekly bridge game tonight."[/color]

[color=ec008c][b]"Yea, that sounds good to me. I feel like Dad's gonna be real busy tonight anyway."[/b][/color]

[center]**********[/center]

The Black Tarantula paces angrily in his penthouse. He had paid out of pocket for the opulent home, believing it would be his throne to oversee his new kingdom. Instead, he is now dangerously close to losing everything he has worked for. The Kingpin and the Maggia are a more powerful and agile enemy than he ever could have expected. His advisers in South America had been adamant that the Kinpin had become fat and complacent. They told the Tarantula that he was ripe for the taking, and that if the Silk Cartel could topple him, they would have the run of North America. That would give them the Western Hemisphere, which would put them on the path to dominating the world.

Now, however, everything is different. The Kingpin is pushing back, and they now have their own super-powered enforcer. To make matters even worse, the Enforcers were broken out of prison without the Tarantula knowing, and he now has no idea where they are. They may have been able to level the playing field against Spider-Woman and the one the media is now calling the "Sandman". 

But as it stands, there is little hope for him. Meaning it is time to put the situation into his own hands.

[color=a2d39c]"I don't know where he came from,"[/color] Otto Octasvius, who has been watching the crime boss pace for minutes finally says. [color=a2d39c]"A former colleague of mine was working on some kind of similar project, but we never saw any results like this."[/color]

On a screen hanging on a wall in the large living room, security footage of the Sandman's attack on the museum. The Tarantula got it from a guard at the museum who owes the cartel some drug money. It's good to have some people across the city that owe you favors. 

Still, the footage doesn't do anything but turn the cartel leader's stomach. The Sandman, Flint Marko, is powerful. Powerful enough to survive an encounter with both Spider-Woman and The Flash. With that kind of fighter on their side, the Maggia stands a strong chance of wiping the Tarantula's mean off the map.

And he couldn't have that.

[color=630460][b]"I do not care where he came from,"[/b][/color] the cartel leader rumbles at the scientist. [color=630460][b]"I want to know what I'm going to do about it."[/b][/color]

As much as he doesn't like outside counsel, he has to admit that the scientist has been invaluable since the cartel came to New York. Octavius and his AIM organization have given him sage advice and weapons to fight in the city. But they haven't given him the final victory he desires. His patience with the genius sitting at his table is wearing thing.

[color=a2d39c]"I think you need to get aggressive,"[/color] Octavius says bluntly. [color=a2d39c]"You're on the defensive, and will continue to be that way until the Maggia pushes you out of the city. It's time to stop playing conservatively. Time for some shock and awe."[/color]

[color=630460][b]"And what would you do, if you were me?"[/b][/color]

[color=a2d39c]"Send your men into the city,"[/color] he stands and walks over to the window and looks out over the city. [color=a2d39c]"Hit all the Maggia's positions that we know about. Take them off guard. They'll be over confident. Probably drinking to the new super powered solider on the field. They'll be fish in a barrel. And may I remind you, I  gave you a leg up yourself. You have a few doses left, correct?"[/color]

[color=630460][b]"Yes,"[/b][/color] Tarantula nods. [color=630460][b]"And maybe it's time I take Spider-Woman out as well."[/b][/color]

[color=a2d39c]"Sounds like a solid plan."[/color]

[center]**********[/center]

[color=0054a6]"So he's literally...made of sand?"[/color] Peter looks at me over a Chinese takeout box, chop sticks waving around like he's conducting the conversation. [color=0054a6]"Like, sand."[/color]

[color=ec008c]"Yea,"[/color] I nod after swallowing a big bite of crab rangoon. [color=ec008c]"Like the annoying stuff that gets in your swimsuit when you're at the beach. But like a tidal wave of it. You remember that scene in The Mummy? It was like that."[/color]

[color=0054a6]"Ironic considering the-"[/color]

[color=ec008c]"If you were about to make a museum joke, please don't."[/color]

[color=0054a6]"Fair,"[/color] he shrugs. [color=0054a6]"Okay, so maybe I'll work on some more webbing bombs. You said water affected his compositional cohesion. Maybe if we embed some of the webbing inside him it'll disrupt him even more. Either that or we get you a Super Soaker."[/color]

[color=ec008c]"Yea, I can see it now: 'Hold on Marko, I have to pump up my gun. Just a sec.',"[/color] I scoff at the suggestion. [color=ec008c]"Jameson would have a field day with that one."[/color]

[color=0054a6]"Yea, I'll get to work on the bombs,"[/color] Peter nods. [color=0054a6]"Without them, I dunno what else we can do. This is nothing to mess around with."[/color]

[color=ec008c]"Yea,"[/color] I shrug. [color=ec008c]"Such is the life of a superhero."[/color]